Multilayer printed antenna arrangements

Abstract

A monolithic antenna structure, comprising: a first metal layer; a second metal layer; a third metal layer arranged as a ground plane; a first dielectric layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer; a second dielectric layer between the second metal layer and the third metal layer; a via feeding a signal for transmission by the antenna structure through the second dielectric layer to the second metal layer; wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are not electrically connected; and wherein the first metal layer acts primarily as the radiating element of the monolithic antenna structure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A monolithic antenna structure, comprising:
 a first metal layer;   a second metal layer;   a third metal layer arranged as a ground plane;   a first dielectric layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer;   a second dielectric layer between the second metal layer and the third metal layer;   a via feeding a signal for transmission by the antenna structure through the second dielectric layer to the second metal layer;   wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are not electrically connected; and   wherein the first metal layer acts primarily as the radiating element of the monolithic antenna structure.   
     
     
         2 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a second via feeding a second signal for transmission by the antenna structure through the second dielectric layer to the second metal layer. 
     
     
         3 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 2 , wherein the second signal is the same as the signal but with a different phase. 
     
     
         4 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are made of the same material. 
     
     
         5 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are both made of a Rogers RO4003C low-loss dielectric. 
     
     
         6 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer are both made of a standard FR4 PCB containing ISOLA FR408. 
     
     
         7 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have different thicknesses. 
     
     
         8 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the wherein the first dielectric layer and the second dielectric layer have different thicknesses, the first dielectric layer being thinner than the second dielectric layer. 
     
     
         9 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a solder mask over the first metal layer on a surface thereof distal from the first dielectric layer. 
     
     
         10 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a solder mask over the third metal layer on a surface thereof distal from the second dielectric layer. 
     
     
         11 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the metal of each of the first metal layer, the second metal layer, and the third metal layer is copper. 
     
     
         12 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first metal layer, the second metal layer, the third metal layer, the first dielectric, and the second dielectric are integrated as part of a printed circuit board. 
     
     
         13 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.85 mm, D 2 =17.61 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =7.75 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 40×40 mm 2 . 
     
     
         14 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.88 mm, D 2 =13.21 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =5.81 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 40×40 mm 2 . 
     
     
         15 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , further comprising a solder mask at least over the first metal layer on a surface thereof distal from the first dielectric layer, wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.75 mm, D 2 =17.61 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =7.75 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 45×55 mm 2 . 
     
     
         16 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.75 mm, D 2 =17.61 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =7.75 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 40×40 mm 2 . 
     
     
         17 . The monolithic antenna structure of  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of each of the first metal layer, the second metal layer, and the third metal layer may each independently be in the range from about 15 μm to 70 μm. 
     
     
         18 . A dual polarization antenna comprising a plurality of monolithic antenna structures, wherein each monolithic antenna structure comprises:
 a first metal layer;   a second metal layer;   a third metal layer arranged as a ground plane;   a first dielectric layer between the first metal layer and the second metal layer;   a second dielectric layer between the second metal layer and the third metal layer;   a via feeding a signal for transmission by the antenna structure through the second dielectric layer to the second metal layer;   wherein the first metal layer and the second metal layer are not electrically connected; and   wherein the first metal layer acts primarily as the radiating element of the monolithic antenna structure;   wherein the plurality of monolithic antenna structures are formed in a single printed circuit board.   
     
     
         19 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein the via of each of at two of the monolithic antenna structures is supplied with a different signal as its respective signal for transmission. 
     
     
         20 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein each monolithic antenna structure of the plurality of monolithic antenna structures has an identical structure, and wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.85 mm, D 2 =17.61 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =7.75 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 40×40 mm 2 . 
     
     
         21 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein each monolithic antenna structure of the plurality of monolithic antenna structures has an identical structure, and wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.88 mm, D 2 =13.21 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =5.81 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 40×40 mm 2 . 
     
     
         22 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein each monolithic antenna structure of the plurality of monolithic antenna structures has an identical structure, each monolithic antenna structure further comprising a solder mask at least over the first metal layer on a surface thereof distal from the first dielectric layer, wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.75 mm, D 2 =17.61 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =7.75 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 45×55 mm 2 . 
     
     
         23 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein each monolithic antenna structure of the plurality of monolithic antenna structures has an identical structure, and wherein D 1  is a diameter of the first metal layer, D 2  is the diameter of the second metal layer, t 1  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the first metal layer and the second metal layer, t 2  is the vertical distance between adjacent surfaces of the second metal layer and the third metal layer, R V1  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of the via, R V2  is the distance between the center of the second metal layer and the center of a second via, wherein the monolithic antenna structure has D 1 =24.75 mm, D 2 =17.61 mm, t 1 =0.79 mm, t 2 =3.4 mm, R V1 =R V2 =7.75 mm and wherein the monolithic antenna structure has an area of 40×40 mm 2 . 
     
     
         24 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein the via of each of at two of the monolithic antenna structures is supplied with a different signal as its respective signal for transmission. 
     
     
         25 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of monolithic antenna structures are arranged as an array. 
     
     
         26 . The dual polarization antenna of  claim 25 , wherein the array is one of 2×6 and 4×8.